“Evidence exists” Chris Christie knew about bridge closings

The former Port Authority official who personally oversaw the lane closings on the George Washington Bridge in the scandal now swirling around Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said on Friday that “evidence exists” the governor knew about the lane closings when they were happening.

In a letter released by his lawyer, the former official, David Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr. Christie’s who was appointed with the governor’s blessing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, described the order to close the lanes as “the Christie administration’s order” and said “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” three weeks ago.

“Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him, and he can prove the inaccuracy of some,” the letter added.

Story here. AP confirms the report, noting that Wildstein was Christie’s “number two man” at the Port Authority.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the lead legislator on the investigation into the lane closures, said the allegations in Wildstein’s letter are “alarming.”

Wisniewski said he had no idea what evidence Wildstein might be referring to, and that he was concerned as head of the committee investigating the lane closures that Wildstein evidently hadn’t turned over all documents related to the situations despite being under subpoena.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s former campaign manager is fighting a subpoena from state lawmakers investigating the George Washington Bridge traffic scandal, according to a letter POLITICO obtained Friday.

Bill Stepien’s legal team is asking the lawmakers to withdraw his subpoena on the grounds that it violates his Fifth Amendment rights, becoming the second person to turn to that constitutional protection since probes of the controversy have begun.